Best Year in Gaming
1985 * Super Mario Bros * Duck Hunt * Ghosts 'n Goblins (arcade) NES * Gradius (arcade) NES * Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? * Gauntlet (arcade) NES 1986 * Bubble Bobble (arcade) NES * Tetris (DOS/PC) NES/Game Boy * Out Run (arcade) 1987 * The Legend of Zelda * Metroid * Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! * Mega Man * Contra (arcade) NES * Castlevania * Kid Icarus * R-Type (arcade) 1988 * Zelda II: The Adventure of Link * Metal Gear (NES) * Super Mario Bros. 2 * Ninja Gaiden * Castlevania II: Simon's Quest * Super Contra (arcade) on NES * Phantasy Star 1989 * Mega Man 2 * Super Mario Land * DuckTales * Dragon Warrior * Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (NES) * Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (arcade) NES * SimCity * Prince of Persia * Final Fight SNES 1990 * Final Fantasy * Super Mario Bros. 3 * Mega Man 3 * Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse * Dr. Mario * Dragon Warrior II * Phantasy Star II * The Secret of Monkey Island (16-color/256-color) CDROM * Crystalis * River City Ransom 1991 * Final Fantasy II (aka FF4) * Super Mario World * Sonic the Hedgehog (Genesis) * Street Fighter II (Arcade) SNES * F-Zero * Super Castlevania IV * Sid Meier's Civilization * Lemmings * The Simpsons (Arcade) * Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project * Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time (arcade) SNES * Tecmo Super Bowl (NES) * Battletoads (NES) * Streets of Rage * Phantasy Star III * Metroid II: Return of Samus 1992 * The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past * Sonic the Hedgehog 2 * Super Mario Kart * Contra III: The Alien Wars * Wolfenstein 3D * Mortal Kombat (Arcade) SNES/Genesis * Kirby's Dream Land * Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins * Dragon Warrior III * Dragon Warrior IV * Mega Man 4 * Mega Man 5 * Streets of Rage II 1993 * The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening * Doom * Mortal Kombat II (Arcade) SNES/Genesis * Sonic the Hedgehog CD * Gunstar Heroes * Star Fox * Shining Force * Secret of Mana * Kirby's Adventure * NBA Jam (arcade) SNES/Genesis * Myst * Daytona USA * The 7th Guest 1994 * Final Fantasy III (aka FF6) * Super Metroid * Donkey Kong Country * Sonic the Hedgehog 3 + Sonic & Knuckles * Mega Man X * Super Punch-Out!! * Mega Man 6 * Shining Force II * Doom II: Hell on Earth * Marathon * WarCraft * X-Com: UFO Defense * Virtua Cop (arcade) Saturn * Descent * Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 * Donkey Kong (Game Boy) * Killer Instinct (arcade) SNES * NBA Jam Tournament Edition (arcade) SNES/Genesis 1995 * Chrono Trigger * Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island * Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest * Phantasy Star IV (Note: GameFAQs currently lists its NA release inaccurately as 1994) * EarthBound * Mega Man 7 * Mega Man X2 * Command & Conquer * Twisted Metal * Marathon 2 * WarCraft 2 * MechWarrior 2 1996 * Super Mario 64 * Super Mario RPG * Resident Evil * Tomb Raider * Quake * Diablo * Kirby Super Star * Mega Man X3 * Metal Slug (1997 PS1) * Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! * Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals * Suikoden * Duke Nukem 3D * Commander & Conquer: Red Alert * Nights into Dreams * Tetris Attack * Crash Bandicoot * Descent II * Time Crisis (arcade) PS1 1997 * Final Fantasy VII * Castlevania: Symphony of the Night * GoldenEye 007 * Mario Kart 64 * Star Fox 64 * Diddy Kong Racing * Grand Theft Auto * Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back * Tekken 3 (arcade) PS1 * Mega Man 8 * Mega Man X4 * Fallout * Quake 2 * Turok: Dinosaur Hunter * Blast Corps 1998 * The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time * StarCraft * Pokémon Red and Blue * Metal Gear Solid * Final Fantasy Tactics * Half-Life * Spyro the Dragon * Dance Dance Revolution * Resident Evil 2 * Crash Bandicoot: Warped * Panzer Dragoon Saga * Unreal * Xenogears * Parasite Eve * Metal Slug 2 * Banjo-Kazooie * Gran Turismo * F-Zero X * Mega Man Legends * Yoshi's Story * Soulcalibur (arcade) Dreamcast * Mission: Impossible * Baldur's Gate * Fallout 2 * Wario Land II * Time Crisis II (arcade) PS2 * Gauntlet Legends (arcade) N64 1999 * Super Smash Bros. * Final Fantasy VIII * Counter-Strike * RollerCoaster Tycoon * Everquest * Silent Hill * Mario Party * Sonic Adventure * Tony Hawk's Pro Skater * Donkey Kong 64 * Resident Evil 3 * Crash Team Racing * Grand Theft Auto II * Grim Fandango * Mario Golf (64) * Star Ocean: The Second Story * Suikoden II * Quake 3 * Age of Empires II * Unreal Tournament * Planescape: Torment * Crazy Taxi (arcade) Dreamcast * Gran Turismo 2 * Pokémon Snap 2000 * The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask * Pokémon Gold and Silver * Final Fantasy IX * Perfect Dark * Diablo 2 * Chrono Cross * Vagrant Story * Deus Ex * The Legend of Dragoon * Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 * Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards * Pokémon Stadium * Shenmue * Jet Grind Radio * Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber * Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes * Vagrant Story * Skies of Arcadia * Banjo-Tooie * WWF No Mercy * Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn * Digimon World * Mario Party 2 * Wario Land 3 * Mario Tennis (64) * Gauntlet Dark Legacy (arcade) PS2 2001 * Final Fantasy X * Super Smash Bros. Melee * Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty * Halo: Combat Evolved * Grand Theft Auto III * Silent Hill 2 * Paper Mario (64) * Devil May Cry * Sonic Adventure 2 * Ico * Conker's Bad Fur Day * Mega Man X5 * Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec * Golden Sun * Luigi's Mansion * Dragon Warrior VII * Pikmin * Mario Kart: Super Circuit * Mario Party 3 * The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons * The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages * Pokémon Stadium 2 * RuneScape * Shadow Hearts * Digimon World 2 * Advance Wars * Wario Land 4 2002 * Kingdom Hearts * Metroid Prime * Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos * Grand Theft Auto: Vice City * Super Mario Sunshine * Animal Crossing * Metroid Fusion * Sonic Advance * Suikoden III * Timesplitters 2 * Fatal Frame * Digimon World 3 * Dragon Ball Z: Budokai * Ratchet & Clank * Soulcalibur II arcade (console = 2003) * The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind * Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell * Eternal Darkness * Battlefield 1942 2003 * The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic * Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire * Defense of the Ancients/DOTA * Fire Emblem GBA * Final Fantasy Tactics Advance * Mario Kart: Double Dash * Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando * Beyond Good & Evil * Call of Duty * F-Zero GX * Kirby Air Ride * Viewtiful Joe * Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga * WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames! * Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow * Sonic Advance 2 * Golden Sun: The Lost Age * Xenosaga Episode I * Disgaea: Hour of Darkness * Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time 2004 * Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater * Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas * Half-Life 2 * Halo 2 * Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door * Metroid Prime 2: Echoes * Pikmin 2 * Metroid: Zero Mission * Shadow Hearts: Covenant * Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3 * Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal * Tales of Symphonia * Katamari Damacy * Ninja Gaiden * Unreal Tournament 2004 * Burnout 3: Takedown * Star Ocean: Till the End of Time * Fable * Star Wars: Battlefront * Mario Power Tennis * Sonic Advance 3 * Sonic Battle 2005 * Resident Evil 4 * World of Warcraft * God of War * Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening * Shadow of the Colossus * Dragon Quest VIII * Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory * Psychonauts * Guitar Hero * Star Wars: Battlefront II * Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney * Animal Crossing: Wild World * Mario Kart DS * Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time * Civilization IV * Sonic Rush * Fire Emblem: Sacred Stones * Star Fox: Assault * Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow * Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance * Xenosaga Episode II 2006 * The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess * Kingdom Hearts II * The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion * Final Fantasy XII * New Super Mario Bros. * Suikoden V * Xenosaga Episode III * Tales of the Abyss * Wii Sports * Guitar Hero II * Gears of War * Okami 2007 * Super Mario Galaxy * Portal * BioShock * Halo 3 * Metroid Prime 3: Corruption * Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare * Assassin's Creed * Mass Effect * Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 * God of War II * Pokémon Diamond and Pearl * Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games * Uncharted: Drake's Fortune * Phoenix Wright: Ace AttorneyJustice for All * Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trials and Tribulations * Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 * Rock Band * Team Fortress 2 * Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn 2008 * Super Smash Bros. Brawl * Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots * Fallout 3 * Grand Theft Auto IV * Mario Kart Wii * Dead Space * Tales of Vesperia * LittleBigPlanet * Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 * Left 4 Dead * Gears of War 2 * Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney * Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII * Mega Man 9 * The World Ends with You * Valkyria Chronicles * No More Heroes * Rock Band 2 * Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts 2009 * Assassin's Creed II * Uncharted 2: Among Thieves * Batman: Arkham Asylum * Dragon Age: Origins * Resident Evil 5 * Demon's Souls * Borderlands * Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 * Left 4 Dead 2 * Punch-Out!! (Wii) * League of Legends * Dissidia Final Fantasy * Plants vs. Zombies * Angry Birds * New Super Mario Bros. Wii * Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story * Street Fighter IV 2010 * Mass Effect 2 * Super Mario Galaxy 2 * Fallout New Vegas * Civilization V * Nier * Red Dead Redemption * Halo: Reach * God of War III * Final Fantasy XIII * Sonic Colors * Donkey Kong Country Returns * Mega Man 10 * Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep * Heavy Rain * Bayonetta * Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors 2011 * The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim * The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword * Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception * Batman: Arkham City * Portal 2 * Dark Souls * Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy * Super Mario 3D Land * Mario Kart 7 * Sonic Generations * Pokémon Black and White * Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds * Deus Ex: Human Revolution * Minecraft * Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective * Radiant Historia * Rayman Origins * The Binding of Isaac 2012 * Mass Effect 3 * Borderlands 2 * Journey * The Walking Dead: Telltale Series * Assassin's Creed III * Final Fantasy XIII-2 * Spec Ops: The Line and Hotline Miami * Theatrhythm Final Fantasy * Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 * Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance * Xenoblade Chronicles * Persona 4 Arena * Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward 2013 * The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds * The Last of Us * BioShock Infinite * Fire Emblem Awakening * Grand Theft Auto V * Super Mario 3D World * Pokémon X and Y * Animal Crossing: New Leaf * Tales of Graces f * Tales of Xillia * Rayman Legends * Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney − Dual Destinies * Dota 2 * Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance 2014 * Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U * Dark Souls II * Dragon Age: Inquisition * Bayonetta 2 * Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII * Destiny * Mario Kart 8 * Hearthstone * Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze * Tales of Xillia 2 * Persona 4 Arena Ultimax * The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth * Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc * Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair * Five Nights at Freddy's * Game of Thrones Telltale * Shovel Knight 2015 * Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain * Fallout 4 * The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt * Super Mario Maker * Undertale * Bloodborne * Splatoon * Life Is Strange * Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate * Final Fantasy Record Keeper * Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls * Xenoblade Chronicles X * Rocket League 2016 * Final Fantasy XV * Uncharted 4: A Thief's End * Dark Souls III * Overwatch * Pokemon Go * Pokémon Sun and Moon * Fire Emblem Fates * Street Fighter V * Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney − Spirit of Justice * Zero Time Dilemma * Super Mario Run